


Geisel

by YaminoTenshi202



Category: The Lorax (2012), The Lorax - Dr. Seuss
Genre: Ambiguity, Hallucinations, M/M, Nyctophobia, Pediophobia, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-13
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-02-27 12:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2693753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YaminoTenshi202/pseuds/YaminoTenshi202
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Inspired by Five Nights at Freddy's.)</p><p>In the world of synthetic works, there must be something genuine. The Genuine Thing most certainly is akin to a deity. The Once-ler, who is only One, lives only for the Genuine Thing, the last gift of the Valley where the Lorax was lifted away, the Street that had once been a street. Woe unto he, he who caused the synthetic works to live, as they haunt him!</p><p>For he is lost in the dark. But being lost is scarier when you are there for a reason.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Geisel

The boards were creaking inside the Lerkim. A man sat there inside, as the air grew colder, the wind grew stronger, and the razor against his cheek became a bit more chilling. He found himself shaking slightly, the metal hitting his cheek and bouncing off every once in a while when the tremors that grew against the cold increased.

“Damn it.” He steeled himself to still, drew the blade against his cheek, and he let the instrument fall into the metal basin that let out a splashing sound as the murky water engulfed it. He moved his Thneed over his nose, relieving his lungs a degree of difficulty from their laborious task of breathing.

Crows were cawing outside, a sound that was familiar, but one that he had heard only a few times whenever he was receiving-

“Visitors?”

“Once-ler? Are you there?”

He let out a sound of disbelief, accompanied by a shout for them to make haste away from his Lerkim. Voices came again, and he wondered if he was imagining them. The crows grew louder and shouts came amongst them.

Shouts of dismay and pain.

Pipsqueak was whimpering as the trees fell to the ground, the fruit falling in the filth of the Gluppity-Glupp. His stomach let out a sound of hunger, but the Once-ler continued with his actions, moving onto another tree with his brothers as his mother, aunt, and uncle handled the gathering.

It was only progress.

“Are you… the Once-ler?” came a voice.

The man from the Lerkim closed his eyes and opened them slowly. He couldn’t remember how he had come down from the annex, but his chest was moving more quickly, as though he had just experienced from fast action, faster than he had in the last twenty years.

He looked to his visitors and saw that they wore masks over their mouths and noses, much like he had arranged his Thneed.

“I was.” The one who had been the Once-ler looked to his visitors, looking over them. Three men stood before him, a small man with two rather tall and well-built men on either side of him.

The small man nodded. “Right. Well, then, Oncie, let’s get down to talking. We need your help.”

“I cannot give you anything you need. What do you want?” The small man sighed and stared up at the Once-ler.

“We want your help to clean the air in our town.”

The Once-ler bit his tongue and kept silent as he heard those words. He looked down to the ground and then around his Lerkim. Stumps of trees stuck out of the ground, like hands that reached out of the dirt towards the sky, hopelessly pleading for something that the Once-ler could not give.

“How could I help you? I have nothing to offer.”

“How have you been living out here, Mr. Once-ler?” The small man chuckled, his voice slightly muffled by the face mask. “Your Thneeds have been keeping you alive, cleaning the air that you breathe out here.”

“And?” The Once-ler felt warmth against his face. His heart had not come down from the speed it had gained when he had run down the stairs. His breaths were heavy and stale. A taste that had built in his mouth faded into a sweet flavor that he had tasted years ago, before it quickly left again. “You want my remaining Thneeds?”

“You are used to the air, my friend. The ventilation system around the town has been failing recently, but you’re used to the air they have to filter constantly. We use the remaining Thneeds for the new ventilation system that has been invented, and Thneedville will have clear air!”

The Once-ler shook his head, trying to clear his head and slow his heart. “Get back to the town before you lose yourself. Things come out of the dark and smog, you know.”

“Will you at least think about-”

“I’ll think it over. Just go now.”

The man in green went back inside once he saw the towndwellers leave for their home, trying to understand why on Earth they had come outside in the first place. Were they coming in earnest? He reasoned that it was for a different purpose.

**“Those eyes seek to conquer but they cannot even conquer themselves.”**


End file.
